Suburbia in Flagstaffia

The automobile is the enabling factor that allows for the businesses and homes to exist on University Avenue. As you walk west along the street there are businesses on the right side with the exception of Harkins Theater and houses, condos, and apartments on the other side of the street. There are two major breaks or changes while walking along the street; commercial to residential complexes and residential complexes to single family homes. Although, this is because of zoning regulations, but it leads to significant breaks in the landscape and geography.

As you walk along the businesses it is apparent that many of them are vacant, because of the economic downfall and the location of these businesses is not in a central location of Flagstaff. Surprisingly though, the dentist office has survived this economic downward spiral. In Phoenix many dentists are seeing fewer patients and treating less due to the cost of each visit and treatment, because of this some offices have been forced to file bankruptcy. Shopping centers have moved to peripheral areas as suburbs become more popular. Retail changes have been affluent with the movement to the suburbs. However, what does it mean when a business condo complex is merely empty, such as the ones below?

Decentralization from American cities is the leading factor of growth in suburban communities. Suburban communities offer private property, space, and the idea of upper class. These are the ideas of the “American Dream.” Therefore it is not surprising that the city is expanding westward on old Route 66 and University Avenue.

Private Property Craze; The Housing on University Avenue

The houses on University Avenue are post modern and have a Georgian influence. The influence is apparent through the enhanced entries. Private property and having individual privacy is apparent through the fences and the influence of the backyard as an extended room of the house. The back yard and front yard serve different purposes. The backyard is more for leisure and relaxing comfortably, while the front yard is used to showcase the house based on the “curb appeal” which makes the house inviting. The photo below shows the fenced in backyard on either side for these townhomes, but there is an “alley” of landscape that separates the fences.

Although University Avenue, Cherry Street, and the Southside neighborhood they both have individual lots, are set back from the street, and the houses face the street. The differences are quite apparent the houses have a fresh look to them because of the style and paint color that is used. The houses and places of residence on University Avenue are very picturesque; because of the front porches which some have added outdoor chairs and furniture, sidewalks, garages, and the abundant amount of friendly people out and about in the neighborhood.

The garage alludes to the neighborhood being dependent on the automobile, as well as enabling this neighborhood to exist. Each home has a car, which is apparent because of the amount of traffic. The dependency on the automobile is a cultural aspect of today’s society.

Northern Arizona University (North Campus)

North Campus is the highest point on the campus, therefore is seen as the oldest yet the buildings are the most pristine. The original school which is now referred to as “Old Main” is surrounded by well kept grass and trees that give shade to students that venture up there to enjoy the history and the essence that one feels. The Architecture trends around this part of campus are Romanesque and Neoclassical. They represent the Greek’s and Roman’s architectural style. However the “Gammage” building represents the style of Italian Renaissance.

The Original NAU!

Although North Campus has such immaculate structural features as the campus grew the style didn’t. Many of NAU’s buildings are industrial style. This is a dominant break in the campus, because structural change is quite apparent. The latest research buildings and business building on south campus are considered eco-friendly. As the world has begun to experience global warming many new office buildings and structures have eco-friendly features and are becoming quite common.

As humans we have three significant places that we encounter. The first is our home which may or may not be on campus. The second is work or school, which is where most of our time is spent during the week. The third is a place that is considered an “anchor.” It’s a community place that is used for socializing. As you walk across the campus the Union and the Dubois building seem to be the most dominant “third place.” However the benches that are on the old part of campus in the “roundabout” near the clock are very inviting on a sunny spring day as is the grassy field in front of the pool. Many students study, read, play with their dog’s, or just soak in the Arizona sun in these places because it is inviting.